Follow the Dragon
by PhantomPanther
Summary: Jounouchi Katsuya has waited for four years to go on this trip - a 20 day school excursion to China! Now that the time has come, he couldn't be more excited; but a certain blue-eyed CEO is promised to darken his horizons... (slightly AU) (shounen-ai, yaoi, het)
1. Chapter 1

PhantomPanther: Hey guys. I thought that I would salvage this old story of mine and put it up here since the website it was on before looks like it's going to hell. So before I lost it, I thought I would preserve it here! ^_^ I hope you enjoy this one – it's not finished yet and may not be, but I really enjoyed writing it at the time. It's loosely based around Kaiba and Jounouchi's complex relationship. It's also got some pretty funny scenes (well, I think so anyway) as well as some more…shall we say, "explicit" scenes, for your viewing pleasure ^_~ enjoy!

**WARNING**: This story contains yaoi, implied yaoi, offensive language and sexual content!

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own anything!

**FOLLOW THE DRAGON**

Chapter One

xXx

"Man! I don't think I ever want to see another chocolate bar again in my _life_!"

"Is that because you _ate_ half the ones you were meant to sell, Jou-kun?" Honda teased.

Jou scowled at him. "We've been selling the damn things for four years in a row, now. I'm just glad it's finally over!"

"This is the year we've all been waiting for, guys!" Anzu chimed. "I can't believe we actually managed to raise enough money to go."

"Yeah, especially when _rich-boy_ over there could have paid for us all to go, tenfold," Jounouchi muttered, glancing sideways down the row of students to the infamously frigid Kaiba Seto, who was sitting alone at the end.

"Wouldn't you have rather earned your way there, rather than just be given it?" Otogi suggested. "Especially by someone who's not afraid to flaunt their money."

"Yeah. Jerk." Jou mumbled. Although it had been three, almost four years since the whole Duel Monsters saga, Jou still loathed Kaiba with a pure hatred like no other. And not only because he was wealthy. It was no secret that Jou and Kaiba went way back.

The school principal, Yamanachi-sensei, strode up to the altar. The students in the immediate vicinity hushed at his presence, although snide whispers about his ever-balding head, ferocious temper, current women-on-the-side and expanding waistline were heard every now and again.

"As you know, the end of the month has come, and so has the final fund-raiser for the year 12 students studying Mandarin Chinese. It has been three years in the making, but I would like to announce that, finally, enough money has been raised for each senior student studying Chinese, to go on the 20-day trip around China." There were hoots and cheers of happiness, and the student body erupted into applause.

"For those of you lucky enough to be going on this excursion with the school, I would like you now to please stand and go to your Chinese classroom. Matsuri-sensei will be waiting for you to discuss the trip. The rest of you may remain seated for the duration of the assembly."

"Alright!" Jou exclaimed as he jumped up from his seat, hurrying past the other disgruntled students that probably wished they had taken Chinese. As he was about to reach the end of the row and wheel around into the aisle leading to the exit, a certain someone chose that exact moment to also stand up, leaving Jounouchi no other choice but to collide with him.

"_Make_ _inu_!" Kaiba growled as Jou promptly smashed right into the blue-eyed boy.

"Damn it, Kaiba!" Jou shrieked, rubbing his head which had made contact with Kaiba's chin. "Always gettin' in my way!"

"Hmph. A little paradoxical of you to say that, don't you think?" Kaiba touched his chin gingerly.

"What?" Jou asked, a little dazed, and confused at his statement.

"Idiot." Kaiba remarked before swiveling on his heel and heading for the exit.

Jou glowered at him with as much odium as he could muster. "Brainy-ass, loaded-ass, jerk-ass!"

"Jou, come _on_!" Yuugi urged as he grabbed Jou and hauled him down the aisle. "Geeze, why do you have to mouth off at him like that all the time?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Jou retaliated as he watched the prim and proper CEO exit the assembly hall. "I wish that bastard wasn't in our class. What does _he_ need to take Chinese for, anyway?"

"Business trips?" Anzu suggested, shrugging.

"We _all_ wish he wasn't in our class," Otogi concurred, throwing a friendly arm around Jou's shoulders.

"At least he's not in _all_ of your classes, Jounou-kun." Ryou sighed, joining the conversation.

"That's just 'cause you're a brain-box, Ry." Jou laughed. "And now that you've been taking Chinese for the past four years like us, you speak three languages!"

"Four," Ryou blushed, correcting him.

Together the group of teenagers walked to the main block of the school and filed into their usual classroom that they took Chinese in. They all thought it would be fun to take Chinese in their first year of high school, and, much to their teacher's surprise, had carried on with it through til now, their final year. Having three of the rowdiest boys in year 12 – Jou, Honda and Otogi to be precise – in her class made it easier said than done. This had to be one of the most difficult classes to keep under control, but the quieter students, like Ryou and Yuugi, made it tolerable.

"Ohayou, Matsuri-sensei!" Jou cried with happiness. He actually liked his Chinese teacher – she was nice to him, and hadn't hesitated to help him on a few projects earlier in the year. In fact, had she been younger, unmarried and _not_ the mother of four children, he would probably have found himself head over heels for her.

"Good morning, Jounouchi-kun." Matsuri-sensei replied in an orderly manner.

"Will you be coming to China with us, miss?" Honda asked as he found his usual desk and sat down behind it.

The brown-haired woman smiled. "All you need to know is in this package that I made up for you all," she said, handing them around. "They have your itinerary, the names of your hotels you'll be staying at, your Visa applications and the general things you need to know about traveling, like safety precautions and whatnot. I'm going to need your legal guardian to sign the consent form."

Jou opened the package and ripped out the itinerary. He could hardly wait to find out where they would be starting. "Hong Kong?! Awesome!"

"I'm glad to hear you're so enthusiastic, Jounouchi-kun. I'm sure you will all find the information guides very useful – you will be visiting a lot of the places that you will have studied this year."

"Ooh! Do we get to visit the Temple of Heaven?" Anzu asked with great curiosity. It had been her major project in the middle of the year that she had aced with flying colours.

"Yes, among other spectacular sights, too." Matsuri-sensei replied.

Jou flicked his honey-brown eyes down the page titled "General Information". The departure date was November 30th, returning to Japan on December 22nd. _Man, that's a long time to be away from home! _Jou thought. _I wonder if anyone here gets homesick. We were away from home a long time during the duel monster tournaments, though, so going to China for three weeks will be a breeze. I can't wait!_

"Excuse me, Matsuri-sensei?" Ryou spoke up, raising his hand.

"Yes, Bakura-kun?"

"What are these for?" He asked, holding up a small black book, with plain lined paper in its centre.

"Ah, now that is what I wanted to speak to you about." Matsuri-sensei replied. "You will all find diaries in your packages. While we are away, you are to write down what you do each day, and what you have learned. When we get back, I will be marking them on the accuracy and content of your entries – consider it like an assessment while you are away. You can write whatever you want – provided it's relevant – but the general guidelines of exams still apply – such as no profanity or plagiarism."

"Damn! I knew there'd be a catch to this trip," Honda groaned.

"But that's not all," Matsuri-sensei chirped. "I have also assigned you to what I would like to call your "travel buddy". I've paired you up with random people in the class, people who you might not be so familiar with. It will give you all a chance to get to know everyone better!"

Jounouchi deadpanned. "So, then? Who are we all with?"

Suddenly the students began murmuring to each other, wondering who they would be paired up with and why their teacher might do something like this. Jou figured that this trip would have a few quirks to it – and this was one of them. _What was I thinking? This ain't gonna be no summer holiday! It's a school trip. _The more practical side of his brain reminded him. _A SCHOOL trip! What's the bet the curfew for bedtime will be nine o'clock…_

"Let me read them out for you," Matsuri-sensei said, grabbing a sheet of paper out of her drawer and clearing her throat. "Bakura Ryou, you will be paired up with Muto Yuugi,"

Ryou and Yuugi smiled and winked at each other. Matsuri-sensei obviously didn't know that they were already good friends.

"Mazaki Anzu, and Honda Hiroto," Matsuri-sensei continued.

Anzu rolled her eyes and held her head in her hand. Honda was a good friend, but he could be a total oaf at the best of times, and traveling with him for 20 days straight didn't sound terribly appealing. She was hoping to get someone like Malik, who she didn't know much about. With Honda, she knew everything from the precise amount of hair gel, mousse and spray it took to get his hair done properly in the morning to his latest crushes, and he had even gone into great detail about his toe jam and the hideous stench it possessed. Honda gave her the thumbs up. Anzu sweatdropped and smiled.

"Otogi Ryuuji, and Malik Ishtar,"

Otogi craned his head toward the back of the classroom where the platinum-haired Egyptian was sitting quietly. He gazed back at Otogi with heliotrope eyes the size of saucers. These two boys had more in common than they realised, but they had barely spoken two words to each other in their entire lives. Otogi managed a smile and a nod of recognition; Malik tensed and looked nervous, but forced a smile back.

"Jounouchi Katsuya, and Kaiba Seto,"

Jounouchi blanched. Shock set in and turned every nerve, blood vessel and muscle in his body to ice. The classroom fell so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. _This can't be happening… this can't be happening… this can't be- I'm paired with KAIBA?!_

Jou didn't even want to look at the CEO, but a surge of hatred infused with yet more hatred was building up inside of him, and he had to turn and look at him. Kaiba returned Jou's menacing glance with a glare that could wither flowers, and the whole class immediately recoiled. Silence hung over the students like a heavy black rain cloud, threatening to burst. They all knew that Jou and Kaiba had been sworn enemies since the beginning of time; all except for, perhaps, Matsuri-sensei, who was still smiling absurdly.

_Twenty days in China with the mutt at my side 24/7,_ Kaiba thought. _Well, this ought to be interesting._

"Is something wrong?" Matsuri-sensei asked, her smile fading.

"Nothing at all, sensei." Kaiba replied coolly.

"Gah! Why did you have to put me with _him_, Matsuri-sensei?!" Jou exploded.

Matsuri-sensei frowned. "I know you two haven't exactly seen eye to eye -"

"_That's _an understatement," Jou said under his breath.

"- so I figured that it would be a good opportunity to get to know each other better. You might even be surprised with yourselves."

Jounouchi crashed his head down on his desk. _Why him? Why him?! WHY HIM?! There are at least fourteen other students in the class worthy to choose from! Everyone else got good partners… I would do anything to swap with that jerk! Ugh, I'd even choose that stupid, ugly insect kid over Kaiba! _

The bell signaling recess promptly rang after Matsuri-sensei had read out all the pairings, and the teens filed out of the classroom. Jounouchi gave Kaiba a wide berth as he struggled through the swarm of students, as if being asphyxiated by some sort of invisible force. Yuugi, Anzu and the rest all sweatdropped as they cautiously followed him out into the locker bays.

/Jounouchi looks very stressed out about this, aibou./

Yuugi about jumped out of his skin as Yami spoke to him via their mindlink. /Ah, Yami! Stop scaring me like that. But, I know. Wouldn't you be too, though?/

/I guess so; being stuck with Kaiba for three weeks doesn't sound like much fun./

/And you know how those two loathe each other. It's going to make an interesting trip, that's for sure!/

/Are you glad you got picked to be with Bakura?/

/Yeah! It's just… well…never mind./

/Spirit of the Ring, ne?/

/Yeah…I know Ryou has tried to tell us that Bakura's not so bad anymore, but still, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him./

Yami chuckled. /Neither would I. But don't worry, hikari, if he causes any riots, I'll take care of him./ with that said, Yami made himself scarce once again.

While the group walked toward the cafeteria, amidst Jou's ranting and raving about how much he hated Kaiba, how much of a jerk Kaiba was, how Kaiba had too much money, how Kaiba was going to ruin his trip, and also how much he hated Kaiba, Ryou's thoughts were along similar lines to Yuugi's.

/Stuck with the midget and His Royal Arrogance for the trip, eh?/

/Bakura, please./ Ryou sighed mentally. /It's not my fault that I got picked to be with Yuugi. Can you please just try and be… reasonable?/

/Reasonable?! With that Ra-damned stuck-up piece of royal shit? _He's_ the one that needs to be reasonable./

/Bakura! I don't want to make this trip to China miserable for everyone, just because you and Yami don't get along. Look at Jou and Kaiba – it's already going to be a disaster without you and Yami going head to head as _well_./

Bakura snorted. /I'd never go "head to head" with that eyeliner-overdosing crack head./

Ryou immediately blushed as he picked up Bakura's intended pun. It hadn't been long since Ryou had found out that Bakura swung both ways – the hard way (no pun intended). Ryou had been at home alone one night when he realised he had lent one of his very important textbooks to Malik, and needed it for his homework, so he decided to go around and retrieve it, knowing very well that Bakura was visiting Marik – Malik's darker half – at the time. He thought it might be fun for the four of them just to hang out at Malik's place for a bit until it was time to go home again, doing what they usually did – playing video games, eating, and, for Malik and Marik, getting stoned. Little did he know what his innocent virgin eyes were about to fall upon as he walked through the door…

*f.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k*

_Damn it's a hot night! I knew I should have caught the bus, at least it would be air conditioned,_ Ryou thought as he reached Malik's doorstep, just about out of breath and sweating like a pig in the 100 degree heat. He knocked, and waited, but nobody answered, which was strange. If Malik or Marik didn't answer, Isis or Rishid usually did. Then he remembered it was late-night at the museum tonight, and Rishid had promised to help Isis out with the new exhibition that was on show at the moment.

_Oh well, I guess I'll just go in._ Ryou thought, opening the door. Inside, he didn't see anyone. Dim lamps in each corner of the room were lit, but there was little sign of life. _Hm? Maybe they're upstairs on Malik's Playstation,_ Ryou guessed, and hooked a left toward the stairs. Climbing up, it was eerily silent, which unnerved Ryou slightly. The Ishtar household was probably the most boisterous he had ever come across. At the top of the stairs – which he knew was Malik's room – he saw light seeping out from under the door, but still no sound emitted.

/Bakura? Are you still at Malik's?/

No reply was given. /Um… Bakura?/

Suddenly, a strange sound came from Malik's room, a sound that made Ryou's body go rigid. The sound was a moan, and a pleasure-filled one at that, something you might expect to come from, well… a porno. With a trembling hand, Ryou dared himself to open the door. What he saw should have profoundly blinded and disturbed him, but instead, he found himself rooted to the spot, unable to look away.

There was Malik, lying underneath Bakura on his bed, both completely stark naked - with Marik, camcorder in hand at the side – making out intensely, grinding into each other and moaning softly. In the background some sort of porno was playing on Malik's television, on mute. Watching this erotic display of kissing, biting, rubbing, grinding, moaning, groaning, grabbing, groping and tumbling between his other self and his best friend, Ryou couldn't help but stare, aghast, and more or less extremely turned on.

"Oh... oh my... Oh my God!" Ryou gasped impulsively.

All three boys snapped their heads toward the doorway in unison. Bakura and Malik tried desperately in vain to hide themselves by tossing the blankets back over their bodies. Marik didn't seem in the slightest bit fazed, and instead pointed the camcorder to Ryou, who still had the most absurdly stupefied expression upon his face.

"Hey, Ryou! Wanna join the party?" Marik asked in absolute normality, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

"Um! Gomen! I didn't mean to disturb you!" Ryou shrieked as he threw himself back behind the door and into the hallway. He took several deep breaths and sank down to the floor, not really knowing what to do. This was certainly not something he witnessed every day.

/Hikari?/

Ryou jumped. /Bakura.../

/Um... I didn't want you to find out this way... Gomen ne, please come back in?/

/Why didn't you tell me?/

/I... I guess I was ashamed./

/I've... I've got to go, yami./

And go, he did. He had been too embarrassed to confront Bakura on what had happened straight away, and his other half didn't seem too willing to discuss it, either. They had remained on slightly awkward terms for the next couple of days, until Ryou finally mustered the courage to ask about it.

"I don't really know where to start," Bakura had replied. "What do you want to know?"

Ryou shrugged. "Just... why you did what you were doing, I guess. You are a part of me, yami... I think I have a right to know."

Bakura knew he was right. "I might as well just be out with it, then. Ryou... in my past life as a thief in Egypt, I not only slept with women, but with other men, too."

Ryou gasped. "You... you're bi?"

"Yeah," Bakura said, matter-of-factly, shrugging a little.

"How long have you been seeing them for?"

"We aren't really 'seeing' each other, as such." Bakura said. "Just... on the odd occasion."

"Well... now I know why Malik's been so weird around me lately." Ryou muttered. "I always thought there was something a little strange about him."

Bakura grit his teeth and lifted his chin. "Strange? Do you think this is wrong, hikari?"

"No, Bakura, it's just hard to take in all at once! You have the right to love whoever you want, whether they're a man or a wo-"

"I don't _love_ them." Bakura promptly interjected.

Ryou's eyes widened at the tone of Bakura's voice. "Then... who _do _you love?"

*e.n.d. f.l.a.s.h.b.a.c.k*

The conversation had ended there, Bakura returning to the Sennen Ring, which he rarely did, especially if they were at home, like now. Ryou knew he must have struck a nerve, but shrugged it off. Over the years he had come to learn that although Bakura might seem like a hard-ass, he was actually a very emotional creature. He had outbursts of anger, happiness and sadness, but generally stuck to his more usual pissed-off or smart-ass demeanor.

Since the whole saga of Ryou walking in on the other three in the act, the white-haired teen had since begun to question his own sexuality. If Bakura was technically him in his previous life, then was he supposed to be anything like Bakura in _this _life? Should he be attracted to boys, as Bakura is? Should be unafraid to steal, like Bakura used to? Malik had told him that their yamis were their counterparts - i.e. the opposite to them, so everything that their yamis did, the opposite was expected of them. This didn't make a lot of sense to Ryou - Yuugi and Yami were very similar both in personality and the way they behaved around others. Malik and Marik were also similar in that way, but Ryou couldn't help but wonder why he and Bakura seemed to be polar opposites in just about every respect.

Where Ryou like to watch comedies and movies with happy endings, Bakura preferred violence and gore.

Where Ryou liked his meat tender and well cooked, Bakura would rather it be raw and bloody.

Where Ryou's hairstyle was somewhat inconspicuous and well-groomed, Bakura's was untamed, messy and wild, giving off the impression that he couldn't give a damn, and liked it that way.

Where Ryou's favourite Duel Monster card was Change of Heart, Bakura's was Ouija Board. Enough said.

"Ryou? Hey, Ryou!"

"Huh?" Ryou came back to Earth with Jounouchi screaming in his ear.

"Man, I could have been doing the Cancan up and down the hallways, naked, covered in PVA glue and you still wouldn't have noticed me!"

Honda broke down into fits of laughter.

Yuugi frowned a little. /I guess he was talking to Bakura./

/I wonder what sick ideas the Tomb Robber is putting into that boy's head, now./ Yami replied in a tone of distain.

/He's probably just convincing Ryou to help him plot your demise, Yami./

/Hm. You're probably right, aibou./

Ryou went beet. "Gomen, Jou-kun. What were you saying?"

"I was askin' ya if you'd wanna swap travelling buddies with me..." Jou thought he'd try his luck. Ryou was a notorious pushover, after all.

Ryou thought about travelling with Kaiba and sweatdropped. "Un, no thanks, Jounouchi." He chuckled a little bit.

/Travelling with Kaiba has _got _to be better than the Pharaoh./ Bakura chastised. /You never know _what _we might be able to get him to do if he's drunk enough.../

/Oh, shut _up_, Bakura! We're going with Yuugi and that is that!/

"Hey, check out the 'What to Bring' checklist!" Anzu said over their usual lunch table at recess.

"Tampons? Ear plugs? Deodorant? _Condoms_?!" Honda shrieked, just about choking on his morning snack. "What the hell?"

"It says here that deodorant and other more westernized toiletries are nonexistent in China except in major cities," Anzu replied. "And apparently you need ear plugs because the constant sound of construction sites can be deafening."

"Yeah, that's true." Otogi agreed. "I've been to Shanghai before and there always seems to be some sort of construction work going on. Even at night."

"I'd say we'll be travelling through rural China, for the most part." Ryou said. "Unless, of course, we fly from place to place."

"What does it say?" Yuugi asked.

Anzu dug out their itinerary from her pack. "We're flying!" she said. "Thank God; I don't think I could stand going any other way. Imagine how long it would take!"

"Driving around China would take forever!" Jou said.

"I think the time will go really fast," Yuugi said. "Especially if we're having fun."

_Fun, _Jou thought. _How am I supposed to have _fun _when _Kaiba _is going to be with me all the time?! It's not fair! Stupid Kaiba! He's going to ruin this trip for everyone! _

The end of the day came around quickly, and the bright afternoon sun was fading into dusk as Domino High students filed out of their last classes for the day. Autumn had set in early this year, making its' chilly presence known with the icy north wind blowing through the city. Despite the cold, Jou always liked this time of the year. Secretly he thought the place looked beautiful; the treetops displaying their leaves in magnificent hues of yellow, orange, gold and bronze.

The snows would be coming, soon, and with snow came the winter sports season. Jou had gone with Honda on a winter vacation last year to a place called Horotachi Resort in the midst of the slopes of Hokkaido. It had been one of the most thrilling vacations of his life, and even though he was only at an amateur level of snowboarding, he couldn't wait to go up again this season.

The golden-haired youth arrived home that evening around six, due to dawdling from thinking about all the events that had occurred that day. He wasn't entirely sure how to handle the whole situation with Kaiba being his travelling partner. It was sure to be a nightmare, he knew that much, but he didn't want his loathing of Kaiba to ruin everyone else's holiday, either. Chinese was one of his favourite classes, and he had worked three years towards this trip. He was determined not to let anything get in his way of having the time of his life, even if it meant going with Kaiba!

"Hey, Pop." Jou acknowledged his father, Jin, as he walked through the front door.

"Hi, Kat. Have a good day at school?"

Jou shrugged and sat down next to him. "Not so bad, I guess. Found out we raised enough money to go to China."

Jin raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's great news, son! When do you go?"

"November. I need you to sign this," Jou replied, handing him the consent form. "Anything for dinner?"

Jin scribbled his signature at the bottom of the page. "Yeah, I made some katsu-don for you. It's in the microwave."

"Will you be home late?" Jou asked, taking out the chicken, egg and rice dish from the microwave.

Jin shrugged. "I'm not too sure; we've got to cater for a group of about thirty tonight, so it could be a late one. Don't wait up for me, alright? I'll see you later, son."

"Ja, chichi."

Jounouchi was used to this routine. He had been living with his father since his parents divorced when he was ten years old, and when Shizuka was seven. Jin had been working as a chef for the past six to seven years, and was working now in a popular teppen yaki restaurant in the city. His skill with the knives was a spectacular sight, and when Jou was younger, he would often show off in front of the boy. Jounouchi knew how to cook for himself very well now, having acquired his father's talents. The two men had a good, solid relationship, but seeing as Jin worked in the evenings, they rarely saw each other.

Jou switched on the television and dug into his dinner with his chopsticks. An American western movie was playing with Japanese subtitles, which Jou didn't particularly care to watch. He changed to the news channel and deadpanned at what he saw. A host of reporters was crowded around none other than Kaiba Seto - with Mokuba at his side - exiting the main entrance of KaibaCorp.

"Will you be promoting your business while over in China, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Is it true that you will be setting up new branches of Kaiba Corporation in Beijing, Kaiba-sama?"

"What do you have in the way of Duel Monster technology in line for Christmas, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Will you be in charge of Kaiba Corporation for your big brother while he is away, Mokuba-chan?"

"Man, look at them all! They just can't get enough of him. Word sure does travel fast around here." Jou thought out loud as he watched the paparazzi shoving tape recorders, microphones and cameras into the Kaiba brothers' faces. Kaiba walked hastily with long strides toward his waiting limousine - Mokuba having to run to keep up - without saying a single word.

With one final look toward the camera, Kaiba ducked into the limousine and muttered "No comment," before speeding away.

Phantom: I hope you enjoyed that little taste of what is yet to come…please let me know what you think! ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

**Follow the Dragon**

**Chapter Two**

"Matsuri-sensei, it doesn't say anything about going to Tibet in our itinerary, when we spent nearly a whole semester studying the place. Can we make a detour?"

Matsuri-sensei smiled and perched upon the front of her desk. "There's a reason for that, Tai. Remember how we covered the political issues on Tibet?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, Tibet still isn't very tourist-friendly; there are still many restrictions on overseas visitors." Matsuri-sensei replied. "Besides, our trip around China is long enough without the all the hassle and complications of going to Tibet. If we _did_ go there, it would add on at least another week to our trip, and I think you will all be sick of China by the time we're through, anyway!" Matsuri-sensei giggled.

"Have you been to China before, sensei?" Honda asked.

"Yes, quite a few times. The first was when I was twenty-two, the second when I was twenty-seven and the third time I was about 7 months pregnant with Setsuko." She laughed. "Now _that_ was a bad idea!"

"What part did you like the most?" Otogi spoke up.

Matsuri-sensei stroked her chin in thought. "There wasn't really just one part - it's such an amazing place, very diverse. The trek up Huangshan Mountain was amazing, something that I will never forget."

"Will we be doing that?" Anzu asked.

"Yes," Matsuri-sensei replied with a smile. "I can't wait to go back there; you're all going to love it!"

"Uh, I have one question, sensei," Jou said, glancing down at his information sheet. "We have to provide our own spending money, right?"

"That's right, Jounouchi."

"But everything else is paid for?"

"Hai…"

Jou sat back, feeling a bead of perspiration run down the back of his neck. He had always known that he had had to save his money for this trip, but four years ago had seemed like so far away when he was only thirteen. Not to mention the fact that he had been rather preoccupied with dueling in between times. Now that it had come around so fast, he wasn't sure he'd have all that much money to take with him. _Time to start greasing up to Pops,_ Jou thought forebodingly. Jin didn't take kindly in giving his hard-earned money away.

Jou had been taught by his father a long time ago that in order to get what you want sometimes meant you had to sacrifice other things to get them. For Jou, this meant sacrificing his own time to get a part-time job - in which he had not done, to Jin's dismay. Instead, to earn his keep, he did odd jobs for people he knew, such as mowing lawns, babysitting, gardening, walking dogs and repairing cars or household systems like leaky drains, blocked toilets or blown fuses.

"Now, remember class, we only have one week before we go, so I want you to make sure that you've got everything on your checklist sorted. Check and re-check with your travelling buddy. It's a four-hour flight to Hong Kong, so you might want to bring some form of entertainment for yourselves, too. Got that?" Matsuri-sensei bubbled.

The bell rang. Whatever Matsuri-sensei had been saying had gone completely over Jou's head, but luckily she dismissed the class without questioning him. This whole money issue had gotten him down. _Damn, I need some serious cash, fast._ Jou thought numbly. _I guess I could always talk to Hirotani... but that'd be my absolute __**last**__ resort. Honda's good for advice, maybe I should talk to him instead._

"Anzu, is it just me, or does Jou seem really distant today?" Yuugi whispered as they brought up the rear of the group.

Anzu 'hmm'ed'. "I'm glad it wasn't just me that noticed. Should we ask him what's wrong?"

"I'll ask him at lunch time, we're not in the same class next period. Iya! That reminds me, I've got a math test!"

/Aibou! Have you studied?!/

/Eeeh! Maybe a little?! I totally forgot about it! Shit!/

/Oh, Yuugi. I think this whole trip to China has been distracting you./

/Crap. Crap, crap, CRAP! Yami, do you have any idea what will happen if I fail this test?/

/Uh, no...?/

/Ugh! There's a possibility that I could be put back a class!/

"Um... does he always flail his arms about like that and shout mutely at thin air?" Otogi asked Honda, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's just talking to Yami. We're... kind of used to it, now. Everyone else in school pretty much just thinks he's bat-shit crazy. You should see it when Ryou does it."

"He still talks to Bakura?" Otogi looked aghast. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah... Bakura's not quite as talkative to us as Yami is, though." Honda said. "And if he is, it's only to insult us or let his opinion on a certain topic be known."

Otogi frowned. "I thought the guy was kinda insane?"

"You don't know 'insane' until you've met Marik."

"_That_ guy's still here _too_?! Wasn't he like, kind of bent on world domination, not to mention trying to kill Yuugi in order to do so?!"

Honda laughed. "Yeah, but, chill out. The guys have got them all under control, now."

"If you say so..." Otogi replied warily, scratching the back of his neck. "Wait, that means that those freaks will be coming to China with us, too!"

"Yami isn't a freak, Otogi," Yuugi gently reminded. "Just the other two."

The black-haired boy coloured a little. "Un, gomen, Yuugi. It's just... you know. I didn't think they were still hanging about."

"I gotta get to gym," Honda interrupted. "Jou, let's go. Jou…? Jou!"

"Huh? Oh, right, gym, yeah."

Honda eyeballed him suspiciously. "Dude, what is up with you today?" he asked as he and the blond sauntered off to the gymnasium.

"I don't have any spending money for the trip," Jou got straight to the point.

"What?!" Honda panicked. "Then, what are you gonna do for money? _Dude_!"

"I don't really wanna have to ask my Dad," Jou muttered. "But what other choice do I have?"

"Uh... get a job?"

Jou rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, and even if I did, then one week's wages isn't going to be _nearly_ enough."

Honda and Jou halted outside their respective lockers to grab their gym gear. "I don't know, man. How much do you have at the moment?"

"I've only got about three hundred in my savings," Jou replied. "I need closer to a thousand."

"Maybe you could sell some of your cards?" Honda suggested, referring to Jou's Duel Monster cards.

Jou's stomach knotted. "Sell my _cards_? I don't think I could part with them... I've had that deck forever!"

"It's not like you play very often anymore, anyway. Why don't you take your deck into the Kame Game Shop after school and ask him what your cards are worth?"

Jou hung his head. "I guess it's the only way... I don't have anything else worth selling."

Honda grinned evilly. "Or you could, well, you know, ask Kaiba real nice."

"Not funny!" Jou yelled, throwing his gym shoe at Honda's head. "Come on, Heihachi-sensei will make us do twenty laps of the field if we're late."

Being athletic by nature, Jou had joined an after-school boxing club that went from 4pm to 6pm on a Thursday. Most students in the school opted for some sort of extra-curricular after-school activity. It was the norm for most students throughout the country, and there was a variety of different clubs available to join. Anzu, for example, was a senior in the yearbook club; Otogi had swim training every Wednesday; Honda practiced Karate; Malik and Ryou both participated in the languages club, and Yuugi had even started up a club for Duel Monsters enthusiasts.

Jounouchi also knew that Thursday was late-night for the shops, and this also included the Kame Game Shop. He decided he might as well swing by on his way home and talk to Yuugi's grandpa about which cards might be worth some money. The sky was darkening as the blond youth made his way out of the school grounds after a couple of hours going hard at a punching bag, clad once again in his drab blue school uniform. Big spots of rain began to fall from the cloudy sky above, and Jou remembered it was at least a twenty-minute walk to the game shop.

_Man, could my day get any worse?_ He mumbled in thought. _First I find out I might not have enough money to take to China and the only way I can make some fast coin is to get rid of my Duel Monster cards... Ugh, and now it's raining. Hard. Damn it! _Thunder began to clap overhead.

Jounouchi pulled his school jacket up over his head and began to sprint down the pavement, not bothering to stop and wait at the pedestrian crossing. In the midst of running frantically across the road to get out of the rain came the sound of brakes screeching urgently to a halt. Jou stumbled back a bit and looked toward the source of the sound, and his eyes widened as he realised he was about a foot away from being run down by one very familiar looking black limousine.

The vehicle maneuvered around Jounouchi, still standing in the middle of the road, too shocked to move, and pulled up beside him. The window slid down to reveal one unimpressed-looking Kaiba, face blank, arms and legs crossed. Jou set his jaw.

"You could have about killed me just then, Kaiba!"

"You're the one that didn't yield at the pedestrian crossing, you imbecile. I had the right of way."

Jou glared what he thought was his scariest glare. "Yeah well, I hardly think you'd be waiting at a damn pedestrian crossing either, in _this_ damned weather."

Kaiba muttered his predictable 'hmph' sound, followed by the even more predictable eye-roll. "No, you're right. If I was you, I would have watched the forecast on television this morning and, had I noticed it might rain later on, would have thought to bring with me an umbrella or parka. Or, better yet, a car. Tch."

The window slid back up and the limousine rolled off once again into the dim evening light. Jou, riled up and now completely soaked to the bone, shoved his hands in his damp pockets and continued on his way to the game shop.

_Kami, I hate him. I hate him __**so**__ much! I'd sooner throw myself off of Mount Fuji than go to China with that jerk!_

"Jounouchi-kun, look at you! You look like a drowned rat." Sugoroko exclaimed as Jou walked through the game-shop door about a half hour later.

"You can say that again," he replied, shaking some water out of his hair. "Listen gramps, I need some advice."

"What can I do for you?"

Jou took off his satchel and lifted the flap, dug around for his deck, and pulled it out. Thankfully the rain hadn't gotten to that too, but Jou looked in dismay at his folders and books. They'd have to be dried by the heater later on (hopefully without also catching on fire). He placed his deck on the counter, to a very perplexed looking Sugoroko.

"I need some cash, fast. I need you to tell me what cards of mine are worth anything."

The old man creased an eyebrow. "Are you sure about this, son? You're not in trouble, are you?" he queried, knowing a thing or two about Jou's checkered history.

"Nah, nothing like that. I need some money to take to China with me... I've got no spending money."

"You could always go and talk to the bank,"

Jou shook his head. "I'm already in debt as it is, Sugoruko. Please… just have a look, will you?"

The squat, grey-haired old man sighed and spread Jou's deck out on the counter. "Well, it looks as though your Red Eyes would be the most valuable. It _is_ rare, you know."

Jou felt his heart drop like a stone. "I can't part with that… it's too sentimental. That card means everything to me!"

"Well, if you don't want to sell your Red Eyes, your next most valuable card would have to be either Time Wizard or Jinzo." Sugoruko replied, pushing the two rare cards aside for Jou to look at.

"Yuugi gave me that Time Wizard…" Jou said quietly. "I can't let that one go. But Jinzo was one of my greatest victories…"

"You can always come back another time once you've made your mind up." The old man suggested.

Jou shook his head. "I've only got about a week until we go; I need some money as soon as possible. I'll have to get rid of Jinzo."

"And you're sure about this?"

Jounouchi shrugged. "I don't have a choice."

Sugoruko nodded and took the card, making his way behind the till. "I'll give you ¥100,000, Jounouchi, does that sound alright?"

Jou's eyes bulged. "Is Jinzo really worth that much?!"

"He's in high demand. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this card gets sold before I close, tonight." Sugoruko replied, writing out a cheque.

"Wow…" Jou mumbled to himself. "I didn't know."

Sugoruko smiled and ripped the cheque out and handed it to the blond boy. "Take this and get it cashed tomorrow. Before you go to China, take the cash to the currency exchange bureau and they will change it into Yuan for you."

Jou beamed. "Thanks a lot, Sugoruko. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Oh, _close_, damn you!" Ryou shrieked out of sheer desperation.

Bakura watched in mild amusement as Ryou's face enflamed with frustration, trying as he was just about every position known to the karma-sutra to get his stubborn suitcase zipped up. The suitcase, however, was not complying. Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"Ryou, you can't even get your suitcase closed. Are you sure you need to take all that with you?" Bakura asked, watching as his hikari threw himself down on his suitcase in the fashion of some brutal pro-wrestler.

"I checked off everything it said to take with us!" Ryou replied, starfishing on his back upon the bursting suitcase. "How am I ever going to bring anything back with me, now?"

"You've been from Japan to England a dozen times, just lighten your load. Here," Bakura replied, picking up the checklist. "It says to take a waterproof jacket, a parka and a raincoat - for Ra's sake, aren't they all the same thing?!"

Ryou blushed, realizing he had packed all of his jackets. "I guess I only need to take one really, don't I?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. Ryou bit his lip in embarrassment and unzipped the suitcase, much to the suitcase's relief. Clothes exploded outward like a jack-in-the-box. The end of Ryou's umbrella just about impaled itself in Bakura's eye.

"F&^*ing Hell!" Bakura yelled, narrowly avoiding the killer umbrella-come-murder-accessory as it whistled past his head.

"I think I'll just take this one," Ryou said, oblivious to the fact that Bakura nearly died and holding up a feather-down, waterproof coat. "It will be the warmest."

Bakura glared at his light. "Can we go and get something to eat after this? I'm starved, and I'll be damned if I'm eating another round of Isis's cucumber sushi. I don't know how those bloody Egyptians live on a diet with no meat."

"Where do you want to go, then?"

"What's that place called where you choose your own raw meat and cook it on a hot plate in front of you?"

"Oh, you mean DiDi's? That's a Korean restaurant." Ryou recalled. "Why don't we invite some other people to come with us?"

Bakura shrugged. "Whatever, as long as we don't have to wait on them."

"I'll text Malik and Marik; they can meet us there."

"So, Malik, what do you think about being paired up with Otogi?" Ryou asked.

The four boys were seated upon cushions on the floor around the low-standing table. A pretty, petite Korean waitress came and handed them all a menu each. She glanced at them once, and then did a double-take, obviously weirded out by the fact that the group appeared to be two sets of twins. She backed up slowly and then turned to make her way back to the kitchen.

"I'm not really sure," Malik replied, skimming his eyes over the entrees. "He's a nice enough guy, I suppose. A little arrogant, but nothing compared to Kaiba. Can't stand that guy."

Ryou frowned a bit. "I really do feel sorry for Jounouchi-kun. I don't think Matsuri-sensei realises what she's done."

"Well then, she's about to find out, isn't she?" Bakura chortled.

Over the time that Bakura had been occupying half of Ryou's soul, he had come to be rather observant. Since coming out of the Ring inside of school hours was strictly prohibited by his lighter half, he instead watched through Ryou's eyes the other people in his social circle. Watching Jounouchi and Kaiba had become an especially amusing pastime during Ryou's classes, as was eavesdropping on Yuugi and Yami's mental conversations. While Ryou was busy studying or paying attention to his sensei, Bakura was forever observing his environment and the people in it, and his skill for understanding the modern-day human mind was almost honed to a fine art. Although his general attitude may come across as your usual jack-the-lad who couldn't possibly care any less about anything other than himself, what lay beneath was really a very complex, sensitive and understanding mind.

"Otogi's not so bad, now." Ryou said. "I think once you get to know each other better then you will get along great."

"I guess so. I just haven't had the rhyme or reason to talk to him, really."

Marik waved down the waitress. "We're ready to order!"

She came scuttling over – somewhat reluctantly – with a pen and pad in her hand. "What would you like?"

"I'll have the Mandu-guk - the dumpling soup - to start with, and for my main I'd like the Deodeok-gui - the grilled Toduk root." Marik smirked and closed his menu. "Oh! Could I also get a side of kimchi?"

"Certainly. And for you, sir?" The waitress nodded to Malik.

"Same for me, but I'll have Gaji-namul, the eggplant, for my main." Malik smiled and handed his menu back.

Before the waitress could continue, Bakura began reciting his order. "To start, the Japchae noodles, and for my main the Deungshim-gui - the sirloin steak, with a side of Beoseot Bokkeum - the mushroom salad, please."

The waitress frantically wrote down the order. Ryou waited patiently for her to finish, and when she smiled at him, he began his own order. "For my entree I would like...the Dakbaeksuk - steamed chicken soup - and for my main I'll have the Samgyeopsal-gui - the side of pork - with a side of Nakji Bokkeum, the stir-fried octopus, thank you."

"Anything to drink?"

"Soju all-round, thanks." Bakura spoke for everyone.

"Certainly," with one final swish of her pen, the waitress dashed off back to the kitchen.

Marik stared at her taut backside until she was out of sight. "Nice…"

"So, have you packed yet, Ryou?" Malik piped up.

Ryou blushed; Bakura deadpanned. "Yeah, I had to unpack and repack my things about three times. Did you notice that some things on the checklist are repeated?"

"Yeah, but I'm not taking much. I plan to come back with a lot."

"So, who do you think will hook up while we're away?" Marik, usually the one with sex on his mind the most, queried at large.

"I'll put my money on Jounouchi and Kaiba." Bakura said. The waitress came with their entrees, and the boys tucked in hungrily.

"You can't be serious." Malik said, ripping open a dumpling with his chopsticks. "_Them_?"

"Bakura, they hate each other!" Ryou reasoned.

"You'd be surprised. Often when two individuals appear to dislike each other, they're just covering up their true feelings." Bakura shrugged, slurping on his noodles.

The others shot a cock-eyed look at the former tomb robber.

Malik smirked and put on an hick-like, Deep-South American accent. "'If you knew, what _I_ know, then _I'd_ know, that _you_ know, what _I_ know.'"

Ryou burst out laughing. "Oh, my God! You do Doctor Phil so well, Malik."

"Oh, come on! Think about it - the pet names Kaiba has for Jounouchi, the pathetic insults and taunts. It's like he's toying with the kid's mind to see how far he can push his boundaries until Jounouchi hates him so much that there's no possible way of him ever returning the feeling."

"But if Kaiba liked him, wouldn't that be defeating the purpose?" Malik asked.

Bakura smirked. "Kaiba's in denial. I know it."

Ryou cast a doubtful eye across the table to his yami. "Well, if you're right, I don't think there's much hope for him, now. I highly doubt Jounouchi feels that way…and they never liked each other from the start."

"That's because they're polar opposites, and we all know opposites _attract_."

"I don't even think Kaiba's _gay_, Bakura." Malik insisted, sitting back as the waitress came to deliver their mains.

"I didn't say he had to be." Bakura replied, placing his sirloin steak onto the hotplate in the middle of the table. It sizzled and crackled.

"So, what you're saying is that you think Kaiba has feelings for Jounouchi, but just doesn't realise it, yet?" Ryou suggested, also placing his pork onto the hotplate.

"Or if he does, he's trying to make Jounouchi hate him even more, to cover it up!" Malik added enthusiastically.

"Maybe," Bakura replied with a shrug. "I mean, my calculations could be completely off-kilter, but that's just how they come across as, to me."

"Genius." Malik muttered sarcastically, pouring soy sauce and garlic over his sizzling eggplant.

"I can't really imagine Kaiba with another man," Ryou pondered out loud. "Or... _anyone_, for that matter! Not even a woman. It's like he's not interested, or something."

Malik laughed. "What, so he hasn't hit puberty yet?"

Ryou rolled his eyes. "I think that's happened to most of us already, Malik."

"Bar Yuugi."

"Think about it, though," Bakura said. "Kaiba is one of the most photographed people in the world, yet if you flick through a magazine, the only other person you might see him in a snapshot with is Mokuba or one of his colleagues."

"Good point, but just because he's never seen with anyone doesn't mean he's not having sex, you know." Marik pointed out.

"Well he's in such a damn foul mood all the time it gives reason to think he's not getting laid." Malik pointed out.

"It just seems so weird, don't you think?" Ryou said, dipping his pork into some ginger and garlic sauce. "It's not like he's hideous or anything, either. Girls fall at his feet constantly, yet... he completely ignores them."

Marik spooned some kimchi into his mouth. "Maybe he has _no_ sexuality."

Bakura snorted. "So, what, then? He's _asexual_?"

Ryou and Malik exploded into laughter, holding their sides. Malik's eggplant, rather painfully, came back out through his noise. "Where did you learn that term, yami?" Ryou asked between gasps.

Bakura shrugged. "Your biology class, I think."

"If Kaiba is asexual, how is he supposed to carry on the Kaiba gene?" Ryou queried.

"Mokuba?" Malik suggested with a shrug.

"Say if something happened to Mokuba,"

"Uh... well, then, I don't know? Sperm donor?"

"He thinks he's so damn superior to everyone else that he probably just jacks off a lot, not thinking anyone' s good enough for him."

"Is he right handed?" Ryou asked.

"How the hell should I know?"

"You should check for wanker's cramp next time we're in class."

"Ooh, good idea!"

While Malik and Ryou were discussing Kaiba's asexual-ness at length, Bakura chewed slowly on his steak, thinking about what this year had brought for him and Ryou, and everyone else Ryou was close to. It had started like any other usual school year. Christmas came and went, the holidays were over and before the students knew it they were once again clad in their school uniforms. But for Ryou, Jounouchi, Malik, Anzu, Honda, Otogi, Yuugi and Kaiba, it would be the last year they had to wear them.

Once the students had gotten used to their new schedule and classes, the year had rolled off to a smooth start. It was around August, after the summer break, that things had started to go haywire. It was almost as if the penny dropped and every student suddenly realised that this was their last year, and that they had better start preparing for what lay ahead - final exams, projects for their clubs, the school fair, the final assembly, the final yearbook and, for the Chinese language class, the school trip.

There had been other various events that had also made the year especially memorable, such as the final school dance, school camp, sports day, and Yuugi had even organised a mini Duel Monsters Tournament held within the school for his Duel Monsters club. He, of course, did not enter the competition, as that would have been unfair on the other students. He was, however, a spectator, along with Jounouchi, Ryou and the others, and they had a ball of a time watching the amateur duelists go head to head. The prize for the overall winner was a $500 voucher to spend at The Kame Game Shop, which had been funded by competitor entry fees.

Then, of course, there were the dramas that had occurred throughout the year. These included Honda being in a coma for seven days from falling off of a cliff, abseiling, at school camp; Anzu's slip-up in her dance routine in front of the entire school, resulting in total humiliation and her running off of the stage in tears; Malik being caught and promptly suspended for two weeks for "engaging in homosexual affairs with an unidentified intruder to Domino High School", as it was put on the letter to Isis, Malik's legal guardian; and, of course, the countless cat-fights and punch-ups between Jounouchi Katsuya and Kaiba Seto.

Bakura smirked, thinking back to when Malik had gotten in trouble for being caught with Marik by the deputy principal. He had come down on Malik with an iron fist, suspending - almost expelling - him for two weeks. Not only was it against the school rules to have any sort of sexual contact with another student within the school grounds, it was severely frowned upon for the encounter to be under homosexual terms. It was no secret that much of the student body were either gay or bi, but it was still considered taboo by the principal, who was very traditional and set in his ways.

It had been hot gossip for weeks, but Malik could have cared less. Everyone had had an inkling – since he had started Domino High after the Battle City Tournament – that he batted for the other team. Once she found out about the incident, Isis merely rolled her eyes, screwed up the letter and continued to go about her daily business. Rishid, on the other hand, howled with laughter and taunted Malik for days.

This also brought Bakura to another point. Where he, Malik and Marik were open to sexual experiences with one another, Ryou still seemed a little hesitant. It had been months now since that first encounter where the shy English boy had caught the other three red-handed, and still he appeared embarrassed whenever it was brought up. Bakura hadn't dared try anything with Ryou, not since he knew his hikari still felt slightly delicate on the issue. He had been hoping that perhaps one day Ryou would become a bit more open to the idea, but didn't want to push him. Sometimes, Bakura would feel a twitch of jealousy each time he caught Malik and Marik sharing a tender moment, imagining what it might be like if he and Ryou could do the same.

"Bakura? What do you think?"

Bakura glanced at Malik, stirred from his mental monologue. "Huh? Think about what?"

"The weed, you know... Have you even been listening to us?"

"Do I ever listen to you?" Bakura smirked.

Marik snorted. Malik rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we were wondering what the weed in China would be like."

"Who gives a shit? When would you ever get the time to find some?"

"And you could get in serious trouble if you're caught with it," Ryou reminded. "Their laws are much different to ours, I'm sure."

"So then... maybe I could take some with me?"

"Malik!" Ryou shrieked, mouth wide open in horror. "_That_ is a death wish! You could get the firing squad! Or beheaded! Or life in _prison_!"

Malik giggled. "What? It's not like I'm a terrorist you know!"

"Didn't you hear about that woman from Australia who was caught with 4 kilograms of marijuana in her surfboard cover when she arrived in Bali?! She's now serving twenty years!"

"But we're not going to Bali, and I wouldn't take 4kg's with me." Malik loved riling Ryou up.

Ryou was even more ashen than usual. "Are you f*&^ing with me?"

Bakura laughed out loud. It was rare that his hikari swore so bluntly. "Bloody Hell, Ryou. You're so gullible sometimes. I mean, sure Malik is a dumbass, but is he really dumb enough to do that?"

"Hey! You wanna be quiet before I stick your eye with this chopstick." Malik warned, pointing his chopstick at Bakura for emphasis.

"I just about got killed by an umbrella earlier; try me." Bakura dared.

"Ugh, whatever. Assholes." Ryou muttered, finishing off the last of his pork and downing the rest of his soju.


End file.
